Castle of Glass
by Valkyrie Shepherd
Summary: Bolin is feeling alone in the Southern Water Tribe, even with his new girlfriend (who scares him more than a little New friends are always good, right? But what happens when Bolin encounters Kita, a rebellious waterbender girl he might just be starting to like? (BolinxOC) (Set around S 2 eps 2-3)
1. Chapter 1

House of Glass

Part 1

Bolin was following smells. He was alone again. His brother was with Korra, doing something official, he wasn't certain what. It wasn't really his business. His new girlfriend, Eska...well, to be honest, he was avoiding her. He still had bruises from their last date when she had insisted on showing off her ice bending powers by bouncing him several feet into the air. Honestly it had not been too bad, but he wasn't in a hurry for a repeat performance. He smiled wanly at the memory as he strolled from shop to shop, tugging the collar of his coat higher to keep out the chill wind. Pabu was sleeping in a special pocket inside Bolin's winter-wear, and he was glad of his furry friend's added warmth. He wasn't used to the frigid temperatures there at the South Pole.

He paused in front of a pottery shop to sniff the air again, trying to locate the origin of a particularly intriguing odor of noodles. He had always loved Southern Watertribe dishes.

"KITA!" a shout caught his attention. Bolin did not have time to wonder what a "Kita" was as someone slammed into him full force and knocked him into the snow.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" the young woman, who was now sprawled beside him on the cold ground, spluttered. The snow gathered beneath her and pushed her gently to her feet. She didn't stop to brush off the front of her water-tribe attire, or to help him up. Instead she shot him an impish grin and darted away down the street, then between two buildings. Moments later, before Bolin was able to fully collect himself, a man rushed out the way the girl had come, scowling up and down the street.

The man, also dressed in Southern garb of blue and grey, looked down at the earthbender in the snow and his eyes widened. "Did my daughter...?" he didn't finish. He didn't need to. Instead he held out a hand and pulled Bolin to his feet. "I'm sorry. Kita is a trouble maker. She's always running off, shirking her duties. Are you alright, young sir?"

Bolin brushed snow from the front of his coat, feeling Pabu inside, wriggling with displeasure at nearly being crushed when his master had fallen. "I'm fine," Bolin waved a dismissive hand, smiling broadly. And he was. The snow of the street was packed hard, but it was still far better to fall onto than the stone streets of Republic City.

"Ah, good, I'm glad," said the man, also smiling, though his was thin. He had a day's growth of stubble on his broad jaw and was wearing a shop-keeper's apron, Bolin noticed. "My name is Torq. This is my shop," he gestured to the pottery store with another weak smile. "Feel free to stop in any time for the finest pottery in the Southern Water Tribe."

"I will," said Bolin, wondering how he could walk away without seeming rude. A few of the people in the street had recognized him as a friend of the Avatar and some of the children were pointing. Normally Bolin relished attention, but he had been trying to keep a low profile. No sense in getting Eska's attention before he was ready for her. He noticed that Torq with still looking up and down the street with annoyance on his features. "Hey, how about I find your daughter for you? I'll send her right back." Bolin offered hastily.

"Would you?" the man seemed cheered. "I can't leave my store to look for her, and she had chores."

"You can count on me!" Bolin stood straight, giving an exaggerated salute. He spun on his heel and marched comically away in the direction he had seen the girl run. He wasn't certain he would be able to find her. A waterbender in a city of ice? That would be like finding a needle in a haystack without metalbending. He rubbed the back of his neck, wishing he could go back to following those smells. The alley the girl, Kita, had gone down, was empty, so he followed it onward. He idly wondered what Korra and Mako were doing. Korra had insisted on separating herself from her old teacher, Tenzin, and if he was honest with himself, Bolin missed the old airbender. He wasn't entirely certain that Korra had been right to send her mentor away, even as more and more weight with piled onto her shoulders. He silently still wished he could help bear the weight with her. The sting of her rejection was will a fresh wound, though he would never show it.

So lost in thought was Bolin that he hadn't realized he was walking out of the main thoroughfare and into a park. The frosted trees, which were sculpted from ice (not much grew this far south) shimmering in the sunlight. A hot spring simmered quietly nearby, with some thin foliage grappling for a foothold on life, growing beside it. Then Bolin caught motion out of the corner of his eyes and was awoken from his reverie. It was the quickest darting of blue against the white and rock. "Hey," he called, experimentally. "Come back, please!"

"Why?"

Bolin looked up to see a young woman standing on top of a large rock beside the hot spring. He was tempted to gently tip her from the rock with his earthbending, but he resisted. "Are you Kita?" he asked instead.

The girl had the look of many members of the Southern Water Tribe. Darkly tan skin,long hair so brown it was almost black. The rounded face with prominent nose and high cheekbones. Her eyes shimmered bright blue as she glared at him. His eyes took in her slim, lithe figure. He couldn't help it. He was only a man after all. She looked whippy and muscular, as many female waterbenders did. Her expression was sour, and her arms were folded across her chest. "Did my father send you to come get me?" he growled.

"Well, yes," Bolin admitted, stepping closer. "He said he have chores."

"Of course I have chores. I always have chores. Which is why I have to sneak away. If he ever gave me a break I wouldn't have to. I'm supposed to meet with my waterbending teacher in a hour, but I just couldn't stand to be around that shop for one more minute. If you want me to go back, you're going to have to make one hell of a convincing argument." she bent her knees, raising her hands, slender fingers spread. Water from the hot spring burbled up towards her.

Bolin eyed the hot water nervously. His own muscles tensed, but he did not take up a fighting stance. Instead he adopted an overly casual one. "Hey, your father may have sent me, but it's no skin off my back of you actually make it back to him. Not like he's paying me or anything."

He was pleased to see her relax, the water slithering back into place in the pool. He tried not to show the relief he felt. This was easy enough. He was good at hiding his emotions when he needed to. Most people thought he wore his feelings on his sleeve, and it was true, sometimes they did get the better of him, but such slips were growing less and less frequent. He fixed the girl with an interested stare. "So you train with a waterbender?"

"In secret," the girl grumbled, sitting down, cross legged on her rock. "My father won't even let me do that. He doesn't know that I still do. After my mother died he stopped my training and insisted I only use my waterbending to help in the shop. I make the inventory you know? All those clay vases. I use waterbending to make them."

Bolin was impressed, and this he let show on his face. "You do?"

"My mother used to," said Kita, still looking grumpy. "But now I have to, and it is driving me insane. So I escape."

"I see," Bolin said, smiling at her in a friendly manner. "My name is Bolin, by the way," he widened his stance, and with a tugging motion of his arm, and he tipped the girl off of the rock. Her reflexes were quick, and snow swirled up to meet her and bring her gently to the ground. She folded her arms again, but Bolin could see an eager smile twitching her lips.

"Bolin, huh?" she tried to sound disdainful as she looked him up and down, her arms still folded. Then her eyes got very wide and a huge grin broke past her defenses. "So you're a fire-ferret!?"

Bolin was a little surprised. Not many people in the tribe even knew about pro bending. He puffed out his chest, "Why yes I am," he said.

"No you, him," Kita pointed to Pabu, who had stuck his head out from Bolin's collar.

Suddenly something small and white plummeted down from the sky with a thin shriek and struck at Bolin's chest. Kita gasped and jumped, attempting to catch the creature as it circled around to attack again. Bolin was completely taken off guard, blinking confusedly as the thing came around, small talons spread, towards him.

Before the mystery attacker could strike again Kita had snatched it from the air, clamping both hands around a struggling and squeaking bundle of white feathers and fur. "Prin! No! We do not eat fire-ferrets! That's is very naughty! Don't make he freeze you into an ice cube!" she warned.

The little creature stopped struggling and glared at the lump that was Pabu, hiding in Bolin's coat again. "I'm so sorry," Kita gasped, exasperatedly. "What a naughty creature you are, Prin!"

"What is that?" asked Bolin, intrigued.

"Owl-bat," Kita held up her pet for Bolin to see. It had the body and white feathers of a miniature snowy owl. It glared with huge, yellow eyes and clacked a hooked beak. Two, cupped, bat ears stuck out of the feathers on its head, and instead of bird wings, membranous bat wings were trapped beneath Kita's thumbs. "She usually isn't so rude. She just saw your fire-ferret as food."

Kita held the owl-bat in one hand, then reached into a pocket and pulled out some thin, leather straps. She looped one over the creature's leg, pulling it tight, and hooked the other end to a buckle on her glove. Then she held out her arm and perched Prin on it. The creature made a happy chirp and sidled up Kita's arm and nuzzled her cheek. "Sorry, again," she smiled at Bolin.

"She's really cute!" Bolin announced. He loved animals. He would have asked to hold Prin, were he not worried how Pabu might react.

"You're an earthbender?" Kita asked, clasping her hands behind her back.

"I am indeed," Bolin struck a pose. He could never resist showing off. With ease he lifted the rock Kita had been perched upon, out of the snow, moved it several feet, and set it down with a heavy thud. Displaced snow showered them. Well, it showered him. Kita redirected the snow which would have struck her onto him as well. She laughed, hiding her mouth behind her hand. Bolin was struck by her laugh. Uneven and little silly sounding, but so true. Her eyes shimmered when she laughed and Bolin felt himself blushing. He deflected by grabbing two sticks and pretending to be a snow man, which only made her laugh harder. She was in fits when he earthbent some small stones up to be his smiling snowman face. She held her sides, doubled over. Bolin felt his blush deepen, and he admonished himself. He had a girlfriend.

Kita straighten, tears of mirth in her eyes. Her cheeks were also red, though from merriment, Bolin knew. Kita held out her arms and with a swift, downward motion, she had stripped the snow from Bolin and left him feeling dry and warm. "I've never trained with another type of bender before," Kita admitted, her expression eager. "Want to?"

"Sure," Bolin answered before he could even think about whether this was a good idea. Soon the two of them were comparing technique and practicing variations of moves they both knew.

Kita tried the wider, more grounded stance Bolin had showed her. When she changed the snow around her into water it gushed in a large, uncontrolled wave. Kita barely managed to deflected it from hitting her new friend. "Oops," he chuckled. "It seems like I am always trying to soak you today."

"You're not?" Bolin asked. He stood more lightly, holding out his arms and moving them in a jerky attempted at fluid motion.

"No. Here," Kita walked over and stood behind him, arranging his arms. She even reached forward and covered his hands with hers, positioning his fingers. "You move too firmly. Flow. Like the river," she said. She guided his arms. Instead of lifting a rock, or even small stones, a fine silt of earth rose up from under the snow. Like dust. It clung together in a stream, almost like a water whip.

"Cool," Bolin managed. He was blushing again, feeling her arms around his shoulders, guiding his hands. He was glad she was behind him and could not see. He let her guide him, turning his hands palm up to make the thin stream of earth rise, then palm down again to bring it gently to the snow, leaving a swirling pattern where it landed.

"Okay, that was cool!" Kita crowed, clapping Bolin on the back. Prin peeped appreciatively at her master's happiness.

Bolin turned and gave her a big, lopsided grin. "No kidding! I don't know why I never tried this before! Water and earthbending styles work pretty well together. I wonder if I could use any of that in my pro bending."

"Pro bending?" Kita cocked her head, her dark hair falling over one eye.

Bolin had to keep himself from exclaiming how cute she looked in that moment. He was done wearing his heart on his sleeve. "I'm not only the owner of a fire-ferret, I'm a member the of the probending team called The Fire-Ferrets."

"I've heard of pro bending," Kita said, leaning up onto her toes in her excitement. Her face was close to his and he backed up a step, nervous. "I've always dreamed of leaving this village and going to Republic City to see pro bending. Well, that, and everything else Republic City has to offer. I just want to get out of here," she said, her expression fierce.

"Doesn't you dad need your help in his store?" Bolin questioned, pulling a rock over with his bending and sitting down. Kita plopped casually down beside him. He wasn't used to girls being so easygoing around him. Korra had been, and look where that had gotten him. He scooted away fractionally. He was going to be more guarded this time.

"I don't care about the stupid store!" Kita announced. "That was my parents' dream. I'm a different person. I've got to be free. I'm like an otter-gul. I gotta swim and fly," she spread her arms for emphasis. "So, Bolin, teach me some pro bending moves?"

"Er, sure," he said, standing up, a little thrown by her hasty change of subject.

Kita dropped her hands, which had been poised for waterbending. She glanced towards the sky. "Oh, wait. I'm late for my waterbending lesson with Mihra, the village healer. My mother wanted me to be a healer, so she had me taking lessons with Mihra. Mom and Mihra have taught me basically everything I know," she smiled thinly. "Which isn't much."

"Seems like you're a really good waterbender to me," Bolin said, before he could stop himself.

Kita grinned, wide and crooked, just like he did. "So I'll see you around, Bolin?" she asked, as she turned to walk away.

"Sure, of course," he spluttered. What happened to playing coy? Her eyes, that's what happened. He quickly looked at his hands, then back up. She was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2**

Kita let her father's words wash over her like a wave. She was used to them. "Lazy. Irresponsible. What would your mother think?"

She sat down at the pottery wheel as he continued to rant. Gently she bent some water from the basin beside her and infused it into the lump of clay on the wheel with practiced motions. She started the wheel turning with a few pumps of the foot peddle and held her hands over the rotating lump. The red clay formed and swirled as she manipulated the water within it.

"Kita, are you listening?!" her father snapped, coming to stand in front of the wheel.

She stared so intently at her clay creation in progress that she thought she might give herself a headache. The muscles in her hands grew tighter. Too tight. She crushed the clay, muddy water spurting free and splashing her clothes, and her father's. He wiped the front of his apron with a rag and glared. "Honestly, Kita? Is it really so bad? So horrible to work here? This is your home, where your family lives. Where your mother grew up. Your art is beautiful, the talk of the village, why are you so unhappy?"

Kita slammed her palms down on the pottery wheel, squeezing the remaining clay between her fingers. It felt good. Cathartic. "Maybe I want a little bit more than this, dad," she said, still not meet his gaze. They were talking in circles. They'd been here before, so many times she felt like she was reciting from a script. "I'm a waterbender. I have more to offer than just making vases and sculptures. I met a pro bender the other day. I could go pro dad! How cool would that be?"

Her father raised an eyebrow at this deviation from her normal rebuttal. "Pro bender?"

"Yes! I could make money bending, dad! How awesome would that be?"

"In Republic City?"

"Of course in Republic City. Where'd you think?"

"I just don't understand your obsession with the city. I've been there. It's dirty and dangerous. I am certainly not sending my only daughter, alone, into that place. You could end up robbed...or worse." He folded his arms.

"I'd be careful," she pouted. It was no use, of course. None of it would ever change his mind. She had turned 17 (the traditional age of adulthood) almost half a year ago, and he her father had treated it like any other birthday. She had hoped that maybe he would finally see that she was old enough to be free.

Prin fluttered down from her perch on the wall, plopping down onto her master's shoulder, she nuzzled Kita's cheek.

The bell in the front of the shop jingled to indicate that someone had come in. Kita's father called out, in his best salesman voice, "I'll be right there!" He turned to his daughter, "Kita, do you mind?"

She sighed, then raised a hand and swept it downward, pulling the damp clay from her father's clothes. She sailed the muck over to spiral above her hand, which he swirled in lazy motions. "Go," she said, indicating the door from the back room to the shop proper with her eyes.

"This discussion isn't over," Torq wagged a finger at her and strode out to greet the customers.

Kita guided the clay swirling above her hand to rejoin the mangled lump on the pottery wheel. She was about to set it spinning again with a sigh, when her father called to her. His voice barely disguising annoyance. "Kita. The customer is asking for you."

She stood, forgetting to clean the damp clay from her own clothes. She opened the door into the shop and the light from the front windows blinded her for a moment, but Prin leaped from her shoulder with a greedy squeak. "Prin, no!" she scolded the owl-bat, but it was too late.

"Hello, Prin," a familiar voice said. She blinked a few times and saw Bolin had been ready, and caught the little creature before Prin could make another attempt to eat Pabu. The fire-ferret had his head sticking out from the earthbender's collar and was hissing at Prin, who made annoyed peeping sounds in response.

"Bolin!" Kita smiled, then realized that she was still covered in clay. Her cheeks went red and she hastily waved her hands, swiping the grime from her and guiding it to a waste basket.

"Hey!" he looked so happy to see her. His bright, green eyes shone with merriment. She liked the way he smiled. So wide and unashamed. Most people guarded their smiles, but Bolin's seemed to be full and earnest. She couldn't help but smile back.

"Is this the pro bender?" her father raised an eyebrow. He didn't look pleased to see Bolin. "I sent this young man to find you the other day and I assumed he had failed."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Bolin looked sheepish as he walked across the room and handed Prin back to Kita. "We, uh, got to talking and I forgot."

"Mmmhmm," Torq rolled his eyes. He'd had to fend more than one young man off of his daughter. This was nothing new. "So, can I help you? All of these pieces are for sale." he gestured to a display of elegant clay vases and bowls.

Bolin made a show of examining several of the items, hand to chin, an exaggerated scrutinizing squint on his face. Kita stifled a giggle as she watched. After a moment she spoke up. "Want to see how I make them?" She asked.

Bolin looked at her and she was again startled by his eyes. Emerald green. She had to look away quickly. "You bet I would!" he said.

She gestured to the back room, following him in. She watched him take in the unfinished, or less than perfect, pieces house there. The room was spare, with wooden shelves along all the walls holding projects and supplies. There were the table and chairs where she and her father usually ate lunch, and her pottery wheel. The half formed blob she had been working on was still there. A hunk of potential, waiting. Even though she had grown to hate the work, she was eager to show off. She rushed to her little stool, sitting down and spreading her fingers on either side of the would-be creation. She made sure Bolin was watching her. He was, and she almost giggled again at how eager and interested he looked.

She started the wheel spinning and formed the clay with her waterbending. It smoothed, rippled, swayed. She glanced up to see Bolin watching as though this was the most amazing thing he had ever seen. She almost lost her concentration, the clay bubbled slightly and she nearly pulled the water out of it. It was a delicate balancing act to keep the water and clay united so she could control it.

"It's like you're an earthbender," Bolin said, stepped closer and leaning down to watch. A little splash of clay came free and hit his nose. He stood back, blinking.

Kita laughed. She couldn't contain herself. Her father was a serious stick-in-the-mud, but Kita had an easy laugh that was always coming out at awkward moments. "I'm sorry," she managed, covering her mouth with her hands, as though he might not guess she was laughing if she hid her smile.

Bolin raised a thick eyebrow, then flicked a finger. A small blob of clay flew from her work and slashed her cheek, leaving what she could only assume was a reddish streak. Her mouth quirked into an impish grin. One that most people knew meant trouble. This Bolin didn't understand what he had unleashed.

Torq poked his head into the back room to check on his daughter and her male friend. His brows came together and a severe scowl. Both the young people were covered in splashes of clay. Kita's creation was once again a humble blob on her pottery wheel. "Kita!" he snapped.

Her head popped up from behind the chair she had been using as cover. Her face and hair were streaked with clay. She caught sight of her father's expression and wished she could vanish behind the chair again. "Yes, daddy?" she said in her most innocent voice.

Bolin caught sight of the shop keeper and snapped to attention, bobbing am apologetic bow as clay dripped from his hair. "I'm sorry sir. We'll clean it up right away!"

Before Kita could rise from behind her chair Bolin had his hands spread, gathering the clay from his own clothes, and hers. It floated towards him and formed a ball between his hands. Then an idea struck Kita. "Bolin! Put the clay back on the wheel!" She rushed to her little stool again, righting it, as they had knocked it over in their play.

The earthbender lowered the ball he had created to rejoin the blob still on the wheel. Kita glanced at her father, who was watching with his same, stern expression. The bell chimed again and Torq unwillingly went back to greet the new customers.

"Alright," Kita raised her hands to the clay. She nodded to Bolin, indicating that he should put his hands around the over side of the blob. She started the wheel spinning and began bending. Bolin understood without instruction, trying to match her smooth, precise movements and he earthbent. He stuck out his tongue in his concentration, which almost made Kita lose hers. He was cute. Really cute. She bit down on her bottom lip. Maybe she should ask him-

"Bolin," Kita's father called from the store.

Bolin took his hands away and Kita stopped spinning the wheel. Their creation was odd, but somehow beautiful. Unplanned and intriguing, which was how she might describe her feelings about the young earthbender at the moment. Bolin took in their sculpture. "Not bad for my first art project ever." he smiled broadly.

"You never made art in school?" Kita asked, squinting at their creation, wondering if she should change this or that. Bolin didn't answer and she glanced up to see a sad look on his face. It had no place there. His features seemed unused to the expression. Like a dark cloud on a previously sunny day.

"I had better see what your father wants," Bolin jabbed a thumb towards the shop. "He already doesn't like me."

"He doesn't like anybody," Kita joked, hoping to bring back Bolin's happiness. Upset that she might have chased it away.

Bolin walked to the door, sticking his head through with a cheery, "yes sir?" There was a pause, and she saw his muscles tighten. "Eska. What are you-?"

A female voice came next. Flat and dower. "Bolin. I believe I made it clear you were to wait for me outside the weapon shop. When I emerged you were not there. This is unacceptable."

"Yes, dear," Bolin replied.

Kita tensed. 'Dear'? Girl friend? Bolin walked out into the shop and she followed slowly. Her eyes widened as she took in the two people standing in her family store. The twins, Desna and Eska. The children of the tribal leader from the North. Practically royalty. And Bolin was...she saw Eska's hand clamped around his. Bolin looked very tense, catching Kita's eye a blush rushed back to his cheeks.

Kita's father seemed pleased. He clasped his hands. "Would my illustrious visitors like to take a moment to enjoy my shop? All these fine pieces are hand made right here. One of a kind, each one!"

_Made by slave labor_, Kita though grumpily, her good mood thoroughly stomped to death. She watched Bolin, who was now avoiding her eyes, his hand still firmly held in Eska's. Was she is type? So...blank. Kita sighed. Go figure. She usually fell for unattainable guys. Granted, her father personally intimated most of her boyfriends away, but she liked to think she fell for the unattainable guy. That's what girls were supposed to do, right?

"Come, Bolin. I have purchases I wish you to buy for me," Eska pronounced, coldly.

Bolin allowed himself to be led out the door. At the last moment he glanced back over his shoulder. "Bye, Kita," he called, weakly.

"B-bye," she raised her hand in a half-wave, then let it fall dejectedly back to her side. Well, that was a disappointment. But what had she been expecting? That the friendly, likeable earthbender would be unattached? She shook her head and walked back to the art room. She caught a glimpse of her father's pleased expression and wished she could splash it with clay.

She stood, examining the thing that she and Bolin had created together. She raised her hands over it, ready to push it back down into a virgin lump of clay once again. But she couldn't. Instead she took a thin board from the floor beside the wheel and slid it under their creation. Then she carried it to the back of the room and opened the door to the steps to their house, which was above the shop.

In her room she set it on her nightstand. Then, with a practiced motion, she pulled much of the water from the sculpture, hardening it. Firing it in their kiln would have been better, but this wasn't for selling. This was for keeping. She sighed, sitting on her bed and glancing at her window. Prin fluttered from her shoulder to her perch and began preening quietly. Soon Kita would escape for her waterbending lesson, but for the moment she sat, watching the cloudless sky through her window, not certain why she felt so melancholy.


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3**

Bolin rocked back on his heels, examining his handy work. The sandstone had been hard to get his hands on, but he wanted to do this project right. Stacked together before him sat five, wheel shaped pieces of sandstone. They looked like thick dinner plates with a square hole in the middle. Not perfect, but they would do, he thought with a smile. He stepped back. Spreading his feet shoulder length apart, he bounced lightly a few times, arms tucked in a boxer's pose. Then, with two, practiced, punching motions, he sent his creations smashing against a nearby wall. He nodded with satisfaction at the way they hit and crumpled apart. Then he began gathering them back together with a sweep of his hands, up and around his head.

"Bolin?" Kita's voice sounded surprised and confused. "What are you doing here?"

He turned, a wide smile already on his face. "Stalking you." This was intended as a joke, but Kita cocked an eyebrow. Bolin backpedaled hastily. "No, I mean...I know you cut through the park on your way to your waterbending lessons. So I made a surprise," he stood aside so she could see his creations.

Kita tilted her head, her hair falling over her eye again. Bolin managed to contain his blush as he was once again struck by how cute she was. He explained, "They're for pro bending! Not regulation, but they'll work. I even made them a little more breakable than the ones we normally use because we don't have any gear to protect us."

"Oh my gosh!" Kita's eyes got very wide and bright. "Bolin, this is great! I am totally skipping my waterbending lesson today! Teach me everything!"

Half an hour of instruction later found Kita and Bolin facing off in a match against each other. They had found an open area in the park which was about the correct size to be an arena. Kita's was clumsy at first. Bolin did his best to instruct her. He went easy, lobbing slow shots towards her which she could practice dodging or knocking in the air using water. She hastily bent the snow around her into ammunition, trying her best. Her waterwhip stopped short of Bolin for the third time in a row and Kita growled in frustration. "Ugh! I can't get this! I'm no good at this kind of bending! If only my father would have let me train with a different teacher than Mihra!" Her hands were balled into fists at her sides.

"It's okay," Bolin assured her. "It takes a while to get the hang of it."

"Are you sure I'm not allowed to use ice?" Kita questioned. "I'm better with ice."

"You want to hurt me?" Bolin asked, his mouth quirking into a lopsided smile.

"I'd be careful," he could tell Kita's tone was joking as she looked mutinously at a gush of water she had raised to hover in front of her.

"Try widening your stance," Bolin suggested. "Here." He strode across to her and before he had the chance to think better of it he had positioned himself behind her, arranging her legs with a nudge of his foot, and posing her arms. He removed his hands from her wrists with a jerk, startled at himself for his forwardness. What happened to being guarded? He had a girlfriend. Kita knew he had a girlfriend. So what was he doing? He wasn't sure what to do with his hands for a panicked moment. Putting them on his hips seemed too aggressive, folding them across his chest seemed too guarded. He finally clasped them tightly behind his back. He knew his cheeks were the color of Pabu's fur. He wished the fire-ferret was there. He could deflect from his own awkwardness with the cute animal. He had left Pabu with Mako because he didn't want to tempt Prin.

Kita was laughing at him. Bolin met her gaze and saw how her smile wrinkled the corners of her eyes. His lips twitched, wanting to smile as well. Instead he contained himself. "An old mentor of mine gave me some earthbending advice. It might work for you."

"Tell me," Kita insisted eagerly.

"Alright," Bolin moved to stand beside her and she copied his stance. "Every shot should come from your whole body. If you use only your arm or leg you lose control and power. Look," he demonstrated by punching with his arm alone. The stone he bent still flew, but only chipped when it hit a tree, deflecting off. "He told me that your power comes from the earth. Draw that energy up from the earth, through your legs, your torso, into your arm." he demonstrated again, careful to make his motions exaggerated so she could see them. "I imagine a light traveling through me from the earth to my hand." The stone disk he picked up this time shattered when it hit the tree. "See?"

"Yeah," Kita looked focused, squinting at the tree he had struck. She mimicked his motions. This time her water whip snapped out and struck the tree with a resounding 'thwack'. "Good!" Bolin cheered.

"Yes!" Kita pumped her fist. She held out her hand for a high five.

Bolin hesitated, then slapped his palm against hers. Her good mood was too damn infectious. And really, what had he been expecting? If he had really wanted to avoid Kita, this was the opposite of how to do it. Making pro bending disks and meeting her in her favorite park. Those sounded like the actions of someone who was interested in a girl. Not someone being careful to keep his emotions to himself. What would Mako say? Bolin wondered as he walked back across the field to try their match again. He hadn't told his brother or Korra about Kita. It felt like he would jinx it if he did. Like their knowledge of her would make her vanish like smoke. Besides, Mako and Korra might shame him for seeing someone else while he was still technically dating Eska. The leech. He shuddered when he thought of her.

"Ready?" Kita asked, an expression like an eager cat-moose on her features.

"Bring it!" Bolin said, shoving aside his previous thoughts.

Kita did better. Her shots were still slow and clumsy, but they no longer stopped short of reaching him. She even scored a few hits that he wasn't expecting. He ramped up his game as well, though he was careful not to hit her too hard with his home-made disks. Bolin was beginning to work up a sweat. "Hold on," he raised a hand and she stopped, the water she had been launching his way, pausing. He watched, impressed, as she pinwheeled her arms, then twisted her torso, causing the water to come back to her and swirl around her before she spread her fingers, palms down, and motioned towards the snow, causing the water to fall around her. _Damn. _She might not be the best fighter, but she had excellent control. He suspected that came from years of working with the pottery. A very precise task.

Bolin was almost distracted from the reason he had stopped the match. Then he remembered, unbuttoning his coat and pulling it off, watching out of the corner of his eye to see if she was noticing. Though his shirt was long sleeved, it still showed off his muscular form. People tended to think he was overweight. A side effect of normally wearing baggy attire and frequently standing near lanky Mako. And the pro bending uniforms were flattering to very few. Korra had looked good, but she looked good in anything. Rather than feeling the usual rush of guilty heat that normally came with thoughts of Korra, he felt annoyed this time. Annoyed that she was always so good at everything.

As Bolin slid the coat from him his right shoulder twinged. The cold made it stiff these days. Ever since he'd hurt it in the arena. Korra had mended it, but it had never been quite the same. He ignored this, turning back to his opponent. His eyes widened. She had shed her coat as well, and he was treated to a view of her own figure. Her shirt, like his, was less than flattering, but better than a bulky coat. He took a moment to appreciate her slender, muscular frame.

"Ready?" she bounced on the balls of her feet.

Bolin reformed the sandstone into disks again, positioning them around him. "Oh yeah!" he said, a cocky smile on his lips.

Kita was much improved this round. Bolin had to work to dodge her blows. Even in the cold, sweat beaded on his brow. He was having fun too. They laughed often. Sometimes Kita's attacks still went awry and they both stopped for a good chuckle. Once she accidentally soaked poor Prin, who hooted angrily and demanded that Kita stop and dry her off. Bolin held his sides as he laughed, watching Prin flutter angrily towards her owner, pecking Kita's hand as punishment for the dampening.

Then the match was on again. Bolin got a few good shots, forcing Kita back to the third zone, which they had sketched in the snow. Then she spun, her feet dancing lightly, and Bolin dodged the water he guessed was coming on his left. Instead it hit his right shoulder like a punch. Too much force because he had stepped into it. Pain sliced up his arm. He made a sound that he wasn't proud of, clasping his shoulder and falling to a knee.

Kita stopped, hands still raised. Her heart gave a tight twinge as she heard Bolin gasp and saw him go down. She rushed towards him, the water she had raised around her, flew clumsily back to the ground. "Bolin!" she called, reaching him. She slid to her knees in the snow, coming up beside him His head was still lowered so she couldn't see his face. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?! I shouldn't have tried that trick shot I came up with! Oh man!" her words tumbled from her lips like water over a fall.

He finally looked at her, and he was smiling, if tightly. "That trick shot worked really well," he said, though his teeth were clenched. "You should teach me."

"Are you okay?" she asked, her tone still urgent. Without thinking she guided him to stand, then walk to a nearby rock to sit.

"Yeah," he said. He was trying to act tough, but she could see how tense his muscles still were. "It's an old injury. I guess it never quite healed right."

"May I?" she hovered her hands over his shoulder, water already coiling around her fingers, ready to be used for healing.

"Yeah, of course," Bolin took his hand away, watching her with his startling eyes. They made it hard for her to focus. She chewed her lip, resting her fingertips against his shoulder. She made herself close her eyes for a moment, sensing.

"What are you doing?" Bolin asked, his voice quiet.

"Who healed this?" Kita asked, her brows coming together over her closed eyes. "This was shoddy work. Your shoulder was dislocated and put back, but no one repaired the torn muscle. It didn't heal back properly. I think I can fix it, but-"

He cut her off, "Korra did it. How can you tell all that about my shoulder?"

Kita stepped back, pulling her hands away with a jerk, as though he hard burned her. She'd done some asking around town about Bolin, and had uncovered that he was traveling with Avatar Korra. Still..."The Avatar did that? Really? And she missed the obvious muscle tearing?" Then Kita slapped a hand over her mouth. Crap! What was she doing? Speaking badly of the Avatar? In front of one of the Avatar's friends no less. _Smart, Kita. Real smart_. "I mean...I...maybe she was in a hurry." _Not helping. Just shut up._ Kita clamped her jaw tight. No more talking. She watched Bolin's face, feeling cold nervousness flood through her.

Bolin was still looking at her with a bright interest in his eyes. "Seriously, how did you do the thing where you could tell that I have muscle damage?" Was it possible he hadn't noticed her badmouthing the Avatar's healing skills? Or maybe he didn't care?

Kita shook her head, trying to clear it of thoughts of her own stupidity. "That? Most good healers can do it. It's...well honestly a form of bloodbending."

"A what?" Bolin sprang back from her, eyes wide and alarmed.

Kita raised both hands in a calming motion, but Bolin flinched, as though she was going to begin bloodbending him right then and there. "No! No, no," she said, feeling suddenly lost. What had she said this time? "It's not bloodbending, bloodbending. Not the illegal form! We Don't control people. I would never-" she lowered her arms, slowly. She felt as though she had stumbled off a sunny path and into a field of brambles. Every move she made was making the situation worse.

Bolin still stood back from her, gripping his injured shoulder defensively, but his expression softened. He was going to give her a chance to explain. Kita plunged ahead. "Most healers use this technique. We feel how the blood moves through the body to detect a problem, or an injury. Then, we can help the body mend itself, as we aid it with our own healing water from the outside. We never use it to control a person. I wouldn't even know how. Please, believe me, Bolin," she gasped.

She must have looked so pathetic that the earthbender moved closer to her again. He was still watching her, as though unsure now if she was a dangerous animal. "You've never...taken anyone's bending away have you?"

Kita's eyes snapped up to meet his. "What? No! Oh, no! I could never do that! Is this because of what happened in Republic City? We heard some reports. Someone was using bloodbending to lock other people's bending away?"

Bolin's voice was low, and he stopped meeting her gaze. "It almost happened to me. I made a stupid mistake, and if it wasn't for my brother and Korra I would have-"

"Oh, Bolin," without thinking Kita stepped towards him and slid her hand into his. They both realized what she had done at the same time, and they blushed simultaneously, jerking their hands away again. Kita crossed her arms protectively over her chest. "That must have been so frightening," she mumbled, her eyes downcast.

"Yeah, well," Bolin seemed to be regaining his composure. He brushed the whole situation away with the wave of his hand. "I wasn't _that _scared. I mean, he would have had one heck of a fight on his hands, if he had really tried to take my bending, that's for sure." He plopped back down on the rock. Kita stood cautiously for a moment, before moving to stand beside him. She still felt uncertain. She wasn't eager to speak in case she messed everything up again. Bolin looked expectantly up at her, "Are you going to fix my shoulder or what?" he asked, his big, goofy grin back in place.

Kita couldn't stop her own, easy smile. She reached gingerly forward, touching her fingertips to his arm, feeling the water around her rise up to encircle her hands. The white-blue glow of healing water illuminated Bolin's face and shone in his eyes. Kita's smile grew wider. Then she closed her eyes and focused. She visualized Bolin's muscles, damaged and scarred. She swept her hand in a delicate circle, fingers loose and tickling his skin. She felt Bolin tense as she worked on his arm, soothing and repairing the damage. It was hard work. Most of the injuries she normally worked on were recent, not older like this one. Still, she could do it, she knew she could. Or what was the point of her daily escape for training?

There. She finally felt Bolin's blood run smoothly. The muscle was repaired. Still tender, but that would sort itself out. It would have been better had it been healed when he had injured it in the first place, but beggars couldn't be choosers. She took her hands away, opening her eyes. She was met with Bolin's face, curious and impressed. He gently rotated his shoulder, then smiled at her. "The stiffness is gone!"

"It'll still be a little sore, but that should be gone by tomorrow," she smiled at him, feeling proud of herself. She bent and scooped up a large handful of snow, setting it on his shoulder. "This'll help."

"Thanks, Kita," Bolin said, so earnestly that Kita blushed. "I suppose we really shouldn't keep up our pro bending training today, huh?"

"I suppose not," Kita agreed. She sat down beside Bolin on the rock, expecting him to pull away, as he had done the last time she had sat beside him. This time he seemed much more relaxed. Prin hopped eagerly from Kita's shoulder to Bolin's. The earthbender reached up and scritched the little creature's feathery chin. Prin peeped with pleasure, half closing her large eyes. "So...tell me about Republic City?" Kita pulled up her legs, hugging her knees and watching Bolin out of the corner of her eye.

"Sure!" he said, leaning back and putting on the expression of a sage story teller. Kita stifled a laugh behind her hand. The earthbender began his tale. He told her about how big the city was. How it could take a day to get from the market district to the factory district, if you took the time to stop at all of his favorite food shops. He told her about his and Mako's home above the probending arena, and the Fire Ferret's rise to fame as a winning team. Kita drank it all in. Bolin was animated and free as he spoke. His descriptions tended to involves the words "awesome" or "very cool". Kita laughed often, and every time she did it seemed to encourage him to go to new heights of story telling.

"What is it like being friends with the Avatar?" Kita asked, watching as Bolin finished giving her a play by play of a pro bending match he had helped win, (though he was careful of his shoulder).

"It's..." he dropped his hands, which had been raised for dramatic effect. "To be honest..." he glanced around, making sure no one was listening in. Kita sat forward. "It's frustrating."

"Frustrating?" Kita asked.

"Yeah, I guess so," Bolin said, as though the idea was Kita's instead of his own. He sat down beside her again, and she felt the warmth coming from him. He smelled a little musky from sweat and she appreciated it silently. "It's just, I'm used to friendships going two ways, you know? Take my brother and me. When we were kids, living on the streets of Republic City, we looked out for each other. One day he'd save me, the next I'd save him. It made sense. But Korra? She thinks she doesn't need anyone. Maybe she doesn't," he shrugged. "She's dating Mako and he barely gets to have an opinion in conversations, let alone really help her out. At least he got to go help her take out Amon. I'm a good friend when she remembers I'm there. The rest of the time I think I'm just a burden. I never get to help her."

"That does sound frustrating," Kita sympathized. She sensed that there was more that he wasn't telling her, but she didn't press. She wasn't used to people admitting things to her. She decided to change the subject slightly, "what did you mean you and your brother were living on the streets in Republic City?"

"Our parents died when we were really young. I barely even remember them," Bolin looked at his hands, which rested in his lap. "Mako remembers them better. After they died we didn't have any place to go, so we were on the streets. When we got older we ran with some gangs, just so we had food, a warm place to stay."

Kita wrinkled her nose, skeptical. "That sort of thing really happens? I thought those were only stories my father used to keep me from going to the city. Here, if a child's parents die, they get taken in by other relatives or adopted by another family. Seeing a kid living alone on the street would be totally alien to our culture."

"I think I like your culture better," Bolin gave her a quick grin. She wished it would stay.

"At least you and your brother had each other," Kita pointed out. "I wish I had siblings. I think my parents just wanted a bender like mom, and when I was born they were satisfied and stopped. They wanted someone to carry on my mother's work so the family business would stay afloat."

"I think your shop is really cool," Bolin said, "and your art is way better than anything I've seen in the city."

"Really?" Kita felt herself blush again. Even if she did hate the job, a little praise for her work never hurt.

"Were you close with your mother?" Bolin asked.

Kita bristled. "No." This wasn't exactly true. Kita had been no closer with nor more distant with her mother than other children she knew, but when her mother had died Kita felt only anger. Suddenly she was expected to take over and fill her mother's shoes. The woman had left her with nothing but a shadow to stand in, and Kita still felt bitterness rather than sadness when she thought of her loss.

Bolin seemed to sense her displeasure and didn't press the matter. Instead he grinned sideways at her, nudging her playfully with his elbow. She bumped back with her own arm. Bolin scooted towards her, almost knocking her off the rock with his hip. Kita squeaked as she struggled for balance, embarrassed at the feminine sound. She bumped back with her own hip, which had much less effect on the sturdy Bolin.

Prin, disliking the sudden motion, fluttered away with a disgruntled hoot to sit on a nearby branch and glare disapprovingly at the pair. Kita tried harder, throwing her whole body against Bolin, who resisted with some difficulty, laughing jovially. "What is that? A little turtle-duck brushing up against me? Hmmmm...what could it want?"

"I'll turtle-duck you!" Kita growled, giving him another attempted shove.

"What does that even mean?" Bolin chortled, using bending to dump her off the rock as he stood up.

Kita fell into the snow, hastily bending it around her in a swirl to spray across Bolin's chest. "I have no idea!" she gasped for air as she tried to keep her laughter under control.

Soon a snowball fight was in full swing. "Stop cheating!" Bolin shouted as Kita bent several snowballs at him.

"It's not cheating! I'm using my natural abilities to my advantage!" she popped her head up from behind the snow fort she had built for herself. "It's not my fault waterbenders are the best at snowball fights! Don't be jealous!"

Bolin had hastily constructed his own shelter out of earth, so it was much sturdier than Kita's, but he was forced to make his snowballs by hand. He lobbed a few in Kita's direction, and she dodged them easily. "It is _so_ cheating!"

The fight went on well into the sunset hours. The Southern Water Tribe city slowly came alive with pale, wintery street lights, which reflected with an eery beauty off of the buildings and the crystalline 'trees'. The stars soon showed their faces a few at a time, as though they were waking from under the blue blanket of day. Kita and Bolin lay in the snow, side by side, panting with weariness and beginning to shiver, though they had both put their coats back on. Kita was acutely aware of Bolin's proximity. She had the notion to try something, but she was not certain if it was a good idea. But then, when had something being a bad idea ever stopped her before? Still, she tested the waters. "So...Eska?"

"Eska," Bolin spoke the name as a pained sigh.

That was all the sign that Kita needed. She rolled over, now on all fours, arms on either side of Bolin's shoulders. Her braid fell from her hood to the snow beside his cheek. Before he could react, Kita planted a kiss on his lips. Not a long one. A brief meeting of lips, then she quickly pulled away and ran off, her laugh echoing after her.

Bolin lay in the snow, staring at the stars, eyes wide with amazement. Had that really happened? If it hadn't, he didn't want to know. He'd gladly live in that fantasy world. It took him several, bewildered moments to sit up, but by then Kita was long gone.

***Well then. This might be my last chapter on this for a while. This is about as long as my idea went, and I want to see what the show does with Bolin and Eska before I write more. I won't say this story is finished for certain, I'm just not sure when inspiration will strike again. Could be tomorrow, could be in a month. Who knows.

I'm not 100% happy with this chapter. I'm hoping watching two people flirt isn't too boring. Let me know if it is boring. LOL. I took some liberties with Bolin's injury, calling it a dislocation, even though the show is never clear what exactly happened there. I always think Korra would be a rubbish healer. She knows the basics, but I doubt she absorbed much from her lessons. She seems much too brash and eager to reach for firebending and aggressive styles to be a very good healer. So Kita got a chance to shine.

Also...hmmmm...Kita's got some mommy issues. May go someplace with that some day, who knows. Thanks for reading! Please check out my other fics and my Deviantart, where you can find this picture of Kita and Bolin: art/Dual-Bending-404268106 ***


End file.
